Apparatus for reducing or neutralizing the noxious fumes resulting from the combustion of nitroglycerin explosives.



E. MAOAULAY. APPARATUS FOR REDUCING OR NEUTRALIZING THE NOXIOUS FUMESRESULTING FROM THE COMBUSTION 0P NITROGLYGERIN EXPLOSIVES.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 9, 1911. 1,01 9,502.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

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EDWARD MACAULAY, OF PAIGN'I'ON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR REDUCING OR NEUTRALIZING THE NOXIOUS FUMES RESULTING FROMTHE COMBUSTION OF NITROGLYCERIN EXPLOSIVES.

Application filed March 9, 1911.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ED\VARD Mxoxpmar, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, whose post-oftice address is Box No. T87, Bulawayo, Rhodesia,but at present residing at The Shanty, Paignton, in the county of Devon,England, engineer, have invented a certain new and useful improvedapparatus for reducing or neutralizing the noxious fumes resulting fromthe CODlbLIStlOIl of nitroglycerin explosives, of which the following isa specification.

This invention has for its object an appa ratus or device for annullingas far as possible the noxious fumes resulting from the combustion ofexplosives having nitroglycerin as their base or as one of theirconstituents and with this object there is used in tamping drill holescharged with such explosives, such a combination of substances that atthe temperature resulting from an explosion, these substances or theproducts of their combination with each other, Wlll combine with thesaid noxious fumes to form innocuous compounds. In order to introducethe necessary substances directly into the drill hole and for purposesof transport a cartridge or casing is used which is adapted to containthe required materials in due proportions and separate from each other.When the device is introduced into the hole and the charge fired theforce of the explosion and the high temperature resulting therefromserves to effect the necessary admixture and chemical combination of thesubstances with each other and with the gaseous products of theexplosive.

The apparatus, which has been found in practice to give excellentresults, consists of a cardboard or asbestos cylinder divided into twonear the center by means of a wad or other suitable transverse partitionhaving one compartment filled with an alkali salt, for example,salammoniac, and the other compartment with the oxid of an alkalineearth, as for example, calcium oxid and a small quantity of permanganateof potash which may be mixed with the calcium oxid or may be inclosed ina small glass tube or other suitable envelop. The ends of the cartridgeare closed as by means of wads leaving at one end a space outside thewad for the reception of a longitudinally split cork and a wooden wedge,or any Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

Serial No. 613,263.

other suitable expanding plug such as a conical wedge, whereby the endof the cylinder may be expanded into the drill hole. The whole of thecardboard cylinder and the ends are rendered damp-proof as by beinggreased, and as a further protection against moisture the cylinder ispreferably inclcsed in a waterproof sleeve, the lower end of which istied with a string, while the top end in which the wedge is inserted isfilled with earth and then tied up.

The accompanying drawing is a vertical section showing a cartridge ofthis charactor, a being the wall of the cartridge, 7), Z), Z), the wadsdividing it into compartments for the reception of a charge ofsalammoniac indicated by c and of calcium oxid indicated at (Z togetherwith a tube of permanganate of potash c. The longitudinally divided corkfilling the free space at the upper end of the cartridge (6 is indicatedat f and the expanding wedge at g. The waterproof sleeve is indicated ath, the ends of this sleeve being tied over the ends of the cartridge asshown, the free space around the wedge g at the upper end being filledwith earth which, upon the wedge 9 being rammed in to expand thecartridge, fills the space around the two sides of the cork, so that theend of the drill hole is completely filled up.

The chief noxious gases produced in the explosion of nitroglycerin orcompounds thereof are nitrous acid gas, carbon monoxid and carbondioxid. The ammonia resulting from the chemical actions consequent onthe high temperature of the explosion and the admixture of the ammoniumsalt of the calcium oxid, combines with the nitrous acic gas to formnitrite or nitrate of ammonia; the carbon dioxid combines with thecalcium oxid to form carbonate of calcium and the oxygen evolved frompermanganate of potash upon heating converts the carbon monoxid intocarbon dioxid which in turn is converted into calcium carbonate, asalready mentioned. Further, it is found that so-called chlorid of limeis produced which has an advantageous effect as a disinfectant in theworking faces of mines where blasting operations are carried out.

1. A device for neutralizing the noxious gases consequent on thecombustion of nitroglycerin explosives in drill holes, comprising incombination a container adapted for insertion in the drill hole, saidcontainer being divided into compartments, an alkali salt in onecompartment, a base and a quantity of permanganate of potash in theother compartment, and means adapted to expand the container in thehole.

2. A device for neutralizing the. noxious gases consequent on thecombustion of nitroglycerin explosives in drill holes, comprising incombination a container adapted for insertion in the drill hole, saidcontainer being divided into compartments, an alkali salt in onecompartment, a base and a quantity of permanganate of potash in theother compartment, means adapted to expand the container in the hole,and a closable Waterproof sleeve adapted to envelop said container.

8. A device for neutralizing the noxious gases consequent on thecombustion of nitrcglycerin explosives in drill holes, comprising incombination a container adapted for insertion in the drill hole, saidcontainer being divided into compartments, salammoniac in onecompartment, calcium oxid and a quantity of permanganate of potash inthe other compartment, and means adapted to expand the container Withinthe hole.

i. A device for neutralizing the noxious gases consequent on thecombustion of nitroglycerin explosives in drill holes, com prising incombination acontainer adapted for insertion in the drill hole, saidcontainer being divided into compartments, salammoniac in onecompartment, calcium oxid and a quantity of permanganate of potash inthe other compartment, means adapted to expand the container Within thehole, and a closable Waterproof sleeve adapted to envelop saidcontainer.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

EDWARD MACAULAY.

itnesses Josnrn lfIILLARD, Ur/ran J. SKER'IEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

